SLA

Science Leadership Academy lost Class of 2011 alumnus Brandon Williams today. Brandon battled sickle cell his entire life, and today, he ran out of time in that fight.

Brandon was an amazing young man. He was an incredibly deep thinker who could galvanize a classroom with his ideas. He was a wonderful athlete who was captain of our baseball team. He was a beautiful musician who loved nothing more than to share his gift on the piano with others.

Brandon was such a valued member of the SLA community, both during his time in school and after. He came back to school as our assistant baseball coach, and he freely gave of his time, mentoring current students who also suffer from sickle cell.

And my God, was Brandon tough. When I say that he battled, he fought so hard. He pitched for SLA’s baseball team with a picc line in his chest. He was the first student at SLA to leverage the WiFi at Children’s Hospital so that he could Skype into classes. And no matter how much pain he was in, he never let sickle cell stop him from his goals.

If you came to SLA in our early days, there was a good chance you met Brandon. He was one of the Office Kids of SLA, one of those kids who was often in the office on a free period or during lunch, so he gave plenty of tours, interviewed dozens of students, and just always looked to give back. He and I had so many conversations in my office about every topic imaginable. And he was every bit as at home talking with adults as he was with his classmates. And he was loved by teachers and students alike – and most definitely by me.

I have said this over and over about the teaching life — we get to spend our lives with these amazing young men and women. They share their lives with us, and for all the work we do to try to have a positive impact on our students’ lives, there is no question of the incredibly powerful, profound and positive effect they have on ours. I am better for having known Brandon. He was simply one of the finest, kindest souls to walk our halls.

He deserved far more time than he got, and the world was robbed of his presence far too soon. I – and all who knew him – will miss him terribly.

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It’s March, which means it is hiring season for schools, and the SLA Schools are hiring!

This is a big year for the SLA Schools – Science Leadership Academy Middle School is growing a grade and adding a 7th grade, and Science Leadership Academy @ Beeber is starting its middle school expansion! We are looking for teachers across all certifications in grades 5-12. With that…

Call for Teachers:

“How do we learn?”

“What can we create?”

“What does it mean to lead?”

These three essential questions form the basis of instruction at Science Leadership Academy (SLA) Schools, a network of School District of Philadelphia public schools that first opened in September 2006. SLA Schools are built on the notion that inquiry is the very first step in the process of learning. Developed in partnership with The Franklin Institute – a nationally recognized science and technology museum – and its commitment to inquiry-based science, SLA Schools provide a rigorous, college-preparatory curriculum with a focus on science, technology, mathematics and entrepreneurship. Students at SLA learn in a project-based environment where the core values of inquiry, research, collaboration, presentation and reflection are emphasized in all classes.The Science Leadership Academy Schools are looking for faculty to continue to develop and implement a rigorous, inquiry-driven, project-based curriculum. In addition, all teachers at SLA Schools have an advisory class where they work with the same students for four years. The SLA Schools are a national model for “School 2.0,” a reform movement that seeks to harness the tools of technology, tied to a progressive pedagogy, to re-imagine what high schools can be. As such, the SLAs are 1:1 laptop schools that uses multiple resources – web-based and traditional – to create meaning and understanding.

Qualifications:

Applicants must be PA State Certified or eligible for PA State Certification in their subject area.

Applicants must be committed to the idea that we teach students first and our subjects second.

Applicants must be willing to challenge students to work in an inquiry-driven, project based environment.

Applicants must be willing to work collaboratively.

Applicants must be willing to work in a diverse environment with students who reflect the rich heritage of Philadelphia.

Applicants should have a strong background in technology infusion into the classroom and be willing to see their classroom as happening both on and offline.

Applicants should have an interest in developing extra-curricular activities.

Applicants should be energetic, flexible, and have a strong desire to work with administrators, fellow teachers, parents, and students to create a school that reflects SLA’s core values.

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For the past two years, I have served as the Assistant Superintendent of the Innovation Network, while also continuing to serve as co-principal of Science Leadership Academy. It was an incredibly exciting and powerful learning experience, and I count myself lucky to work with such a talented group of educators – both the people in the schools I served as Assistant Superintendent, and the members of Dr. Hite’s senior leadership team.

It is an amazing thing to be able to help other school founders and school leaders work on their visions for their schools. We accomplished a great deal – including opening SLA Middle School and Vaux – a Big Picture School (which will open in September), bringing New Tech Network to Philadelphia, and creating a model for innovation within a large urban district like Philadelphia.

Yet what also became clear to me is just how much passion I still have for the model we created at Science Leadership Academy. I have been incredibly lucky to have been able to work within the School District of Philadelphia and build a three school network with people I love and care deeply about. And I especially love working in a context where I can know and work with kids every day. Over the last few months, Dr. Hite and I have talked about the passion I have for that work.

And so, it is with great excitement that I am now returning to that work full-time as CEO of SLA Schools. Dr. Hite has developed this position so that I can continue to support and grow the SLA model in Philadelphia. I am tremendously excited to have the opportunity to do so.

Thanks so much for the support and patience I’ve had from so many communities over the last two years, especially my co-principal Aaron Gerwer. I’ll also be cheering on the Philadelphia Virtual School, Workshop School, Building 21, the LINC, the U School, and the new Vaux – Big Picture High School and look forward to continuing our friendships and (less formally) our learning community as we all tackle new ways of serving Philadelphia’s children.